Cherish
by diva.gonzo
Summary: One-shot. Complete. Harry and Narcissa Malfoy have a semi-awkward tea following the war. What should have been a simple business discussion over the Black inheritance turns into an interesting conversation on love, family, and the future. Rated T for couple of comments only. No SLASH! Cover Art graciously permitted and sourced to Catching Smoke.


Harry sat quietly in the chair of their well-furnished parlor. Books were everywhere – in shelves from the floor to the ceiling – along with leather chairs and couches. If Harry didn't know any better, he'd have called it an opulent reading room. _If it wasn't inside Malfoy Manor, Hermione'd probably love to be in here, reading for weeks on end._

Harry was here on Gringott's business, sadly. The goblins wouldn't release his inheritance from lockdown, even with considerable assistance from Bill Weasley and Kingsley Shacklebolt, until he had assurances from Andromeda and Narcissa Black that they had no interest in Grimmauld Place property. Andromeda was a simple trip into London. Harry enjoyed that day, really. He and Ginny got to keep Teddy for a few hours while she did business there.

Well, if you call changing dirty nappies every 90 minutes and refusing to drink his bottle and throwing a tantrum as enjoying. Thankfully Ginny half-way had a knack for babies and got him to settle down with a bottle and taking her shirt off.

Harry shifted in his seat and mentally slapped himself silly. He couldn't think of tawdry things about Ginny, not while he was sitting in a well-appointed sitting room awaiting Narcissa Malfoy.

"More tea, sir?"

Harry looked down at the diminutive elf at his side. "No, thank you. I'm good right now." Harry smiled. "What is your name?"

"Bitsy, sir. I serve happily." Bitsy took a step closer. "Bitsy and the rest have heard of Harry Potter. He's a friend of elves."

"Come along, Bitsy. We need tea ready in ten minutes. Scones and clotted crème will be sufficient."

"Yes, mistress. Bitsy understand."

Harry watched the elf leave the study while Narcissa and Draco walked in. "Mr. Potter."

Harry stood from his chair and awaited Mrs. Malfoy to settle into the couch across from him. Draco sat down next to her, looking rather disturbed at his nemesis' presence. "What can Draco and I do for you today?"

"I apologize for the short notice, and thank you for seeing me."

Narcissa waited patiently.

"I'm here on Gringott's business. It seems that there is some question on behalf of the goblins to the Last will of Sirius. The Goblins have said that they need your approval to move forward with the titling of Grimmauld Place."

"Sirius left that to you, that dusty old residence? I don't know whether to laugh or cry about it."

"Mother, what about – "

"Hush, Draco. Let's hear Mr. Potter out." Draco sat back into the couch with his arms folded.

Harry adjusted his collar at the formidable witch before him. "I've spoken with Andromeda and she has no desire for the residence. I am to ask the same of you. The goblins want your surety and signature, stating that you have no interest in the brownstone in London, since you do have some claim to it."

Narcissa considered the financial implications of what Harry mentioned. She studied him now that time had passed. He was small, undernourished and looking fatigued. But he was also sharp and if she guessed, had already noted everything in the room.

"You do realize that I could deny you the request, make my claim on the estate and the vault, and you'd have no recourse."

"That's true. You could. I'm told the property in London is worth some galleons, at least to Gringott's."

"And I'm sure dear cousin Sirius couldn't have wasted the contents of the vault that fast. Well, he could have, if he drank his way through it, or handed out his galleons to his poverty stricken friends." Narcissa turned to her son on the settee with her. "Draco, didn't you say that that one professor your third year was destitute?"

Harry bristled at their rude insinuations. "As a matter of record, the goblins did an inventory and said that the value of the vault increased in value approximately 5000 galleons. For someone who was prone to giving to his poverty stricken friends, he seems to have done well enough there."

Narcissa waved off Harry's biting retort. "But we're still at an impasse. I assume you have need of what's in Sirius' vault."

Harry shrugged. "It's not a need, per se. I'd like to continue renovations on Grimmauld Place and the Goblins at Gringott's will not loan me the money to finish the renovations. I have the galleons in my parent's vault but I'd like to keep that for living expenses the next few months."

"What do you plan on doing with the residence once it's finished?"

"I'd like to give it to Teddy once he's old enough. He's a rightful heir. As his Godfather, it would be a custody and caretaker residence more than anything else. Once he turns of age, I plan on deeding the property to him upon graduation from Hogwarts."

"I presume you're talking about my Great Nephew, Teddy Lupin? I heard my sister mentioning him once or twice."

Harry smiled. "He's adorable."

"You mean before he turns into a werewolf when he's older?"

Harry rolled his eyes at Draco before returning his gaze to Mrs. Malfoy. "He's been tested at St. Mungo's. He's not infected with lycanthropy. He is a Metamorphmagus, though. Within weeks of his birth, he was changing his hair color and eye color. Whenever I pick him up, he changes it to my dark hair and green eyes." Harry's smile faded. "He's magical, and he's a baby. People will talk just because of who his parents are. But he sleeps, eats, and cries, just like a baby. But he isn't a werewolf, no matter what you might think."

"He's still a half-breed. Shouldn't have been conceived," Draco muttered. "Goes to show you how stupid that branch was." Draco crossed his arms and kept muttering under his breath.

Harry scowled at the young man at the end of the couch. "And you're still pathetic, even with your pureblood viewpoint. He's only a half-breed in your narrow view, Malfoy. But then you always had a demanding standard for what qualifies as being a witch or wizard." Harry eased his wand out of his sleeve. "And that stupid branch has more courage than you ever will."

"Enough, both of you." The young men stilled under her stern gaze. "Draco, go see if your father needs any assistance on the books today."

"But Mother, the solicitor is with him."

"Do not question me, Draco. Go."

Draco stood up from the couch and glared at Harry before stiffly departing the room. Narcissa waited until Draco was gone to wave her hand at the hidden door in the corner. Bitsy the elf came out with a tray of scones and tea for Narcissa.

Harry waited for the elf to prepare their respective teas before picking up a scone. He took a bite and couldn't hold back the moan of appreciation. "Oh this is so good."

"Bitsy thanks Master Potter for the compliment."

"You're welcome." Harry watched the elf depart from their midst.

"You like how that tastes?"

Harry picked up another scone. "It's delicious. Molly makes hers with blueberries that she picks from the bushes outside next to the orchard. But this is so good."

"It's a family recipe, so I'm told. They make it with strawberries and crème anglais." Narcissa picked up a piece and took a small bite. "I wasn't that talented in the kitchen and still am not. Bitsy refuses to let me in the kitchen after I almost melted a pot trying to make tea. My sister Andromeda is the one with that talent." Narcissa smiled. "Mother and Father would get so mad at her for spending her time in the kitchen rather in her quarters. She loved working with her hands in there, making pastries and baking bread. She always was a touch different. She could have been in another house if our parents wouldn't have objected to her being anywhere else."

"Her fresh baked loaves are quite good. She puts some rosemary and garlic in it and it's so good with roasted chicken or ham slices." Harry wiped his mouth of the crumbs. "She does miss you."

"I know. After that day in the Great Hall I've given her time to grieve. I didn't know how to approach the issue after so many years." Narcissa looked out over the back patio of the estate. "What I did was unforgiveable, even if there were reasons."

Harry put down his teacup. "She lost so much. All she has left is Teddy, and you, if you choose. But I'm pants at following my own advice."

Narcissa turned back to the young man sitting across from her. "I know. I'm quite fortunate that only the bulk of our wealth was squandered. Wealth can be rebuilt but losing your family is so much worse." Narcissa put her tea cup down on the table. "But that's why I betrayed the Dark Lord. You might hate him but Draco is precious to me, more than the financial trappings."

"I don't hate Draco, Mrs. Malfoy. I'm sick of him and he pisses me off every chance I see him, but I don't hate him." Harry sat back in his chair. "If I feel anything, I dunno, maybe its pity. I dunno honestly. Hermione's the one with the huge vocabulary. But he's hurt so many people with his actions, his choices. He nearly killed my best mate without trying. But I'm angry that he tried to betray me after I saved his life."

Narcissa sat silently. "You saved Draco's life?"

"Well, yeah. Crabbe set the Room of Requirement on fire. Crabbe died but we did save Goyle and Draco. I saved Draco's life from the inferno and he turned right around and tried to sell us out to some other Death Eater." Harry took a deep breath. "Ron broke his nose for it. He knocked him on his arse after punching him."

"Draco never said," Narcissa said quietly. "This complicates things entirely."

Harry sat quietly while Mrs. Malfoy pondered.

"Your life is mine, because of a blood debt." Narcissa poured more tea. "I could have you as a rent boy and no one would blink." Narcissa looked across the top of her cup and saw the horror on Harry's face. "But the Weasley girl would fight for you, I presume?"

"Ginny would." Harry nodded. "I love her. But I've not told her yet. It's a really big step."

"Such foolish romantic ideas," Narcissa scoffed, "marrying for love. It's not to say I don't love Lucius, but our marriage was pragmatic more than anything else." Narcissa saw the slow changing expression on Harry's face. "I realize my husband is as popular with you as my son is, but he is still my husband and I do honor him."

Narcissa looked at the young man who owed her his life. He was an unkempt young man, with his messy black hair and piercing green eyes. He also looked tired by the bruises under his eyes. She observed that his clothes were clean but not well-cut or tailored. They almost appeared like they were from an older sibling, if she had to guess.

"But you're not here to listen to me prattle about my notorious husband or my misguided son. You're here on business." Narcissa picked up the bone porcelain pot and poured another cup. She only addressed the young man before her once she was settled back into her chair.

"Let me ask you this, Harry Potter. If I agree to this arrangement and vacate any claim to that particular Black family vault, what do you propose to do with those funds and the brownstone in London?"

"I want to finish the renovations on Grimmauld Place. I want to live comfortably with my friends in London. I'll set one of the bedrooms for Teddy so he can stay there as well." Harry fiddled with his wand. Narcissa let a ghost of a grin pass her lips before returning to her stoic features. "I will look after Andromeda, as much as she'd let me. She's doesn't really need my help but the offer is there." Harry looked up and froze Narcissa with his own stern features. "I can't replace Ted, or Tonks, or Remus. But I can work on being a terrific Godfather to Teddy and helping her however she needs."

Harry picked up another scone but didn't bite into it.

"Family means that much to you, doesn't it? You had no one, not really, and you don't want a repeat."

"Yeah, something like that. The Weasleys are fantastic but sometimes –"

" – Sometimes you feel like you are intruding." She saw him nod at her finishing his thought. "It's understandable. We all do at times, even me after all these years."

Narcissa took a sip of tea. "You do realize that with your notoriety, you'll be expected to have plenty of children."

"I hope to, someday, but that's way off."

"I said that and I was a mum before 20. But then that was part of the marriage contract – to provide Lucius with an heir within a year of our nuptials." Narcissa smiled. "But then you are fortunate that you don't have parents demanding heirs almost immediately. No, I bet Molly Weasley will wait until her daughter is out of Hogwarts before trying to find a proper suitor for her." Her smiled turned bitter. "I bet she'd wait at least until her daughter has finished at Hogwarts before pestering you, and her, to get married and give her grandchildren. But then even the old Pureblood families do try to adhere to the traditions expected of them."

"Do you think she'd go that far?"

Narcissa chuckled. "Of course she would. Only my sister was the wild child, betraying family to go marry that Mud-"

Harry stiffened under the oncoming epithet.

"-Muggleborn. Forgive me. Some things are hard to change so quickly."

"I understand."

"Do you? Really, do you?" Harry leaned back under her hard stare and raised voice. "Were you raised by parents to follow their ideals and mindset and marrying someone only out of perception and that you could provide an heir? What would you know of following obligation and duty as expected of your station?"

Harry put his wand in his holster before leaning forward in his chair. "My parents were killed and Dumbledore saw fit to hand me over to the only family I did have – an Aunt who loathed me and treated me like a house elf. I wasn't the favorite child and to them, I was nothing more than a freak – someone to hide away in the cupboard or in my room pretending to not exist. So yes, I do understand all too well. But unlike you, I don't accept what has happened and I sure as hell will fight it.

"I know my duty just as well as you do. Why do you think I am sitting here, talking with you? Yes, I owe you my life. Then again, my life hasn't been my own since the day my mother died for me. The list of people who I owe my life to is rather long."

"You surprise me, Mr. Potter. I expected a boy who just got lucky with Magic. But I see the man sitting before me, tempered and hardened to the world around him. You won't buckle under pressure and I see you have the backbone required to succeed."

"I was lucky. I have plenty of people who made sacrifices on my behalf, whether it's Ron Weasley inviting me to his home and into his family, or Hermione Granger who stood by me when no one else, not even my best mate, has." Harry took a bite of his scone. He murmured in appreciation.

Narcissa waited for him to finish his bite.

"But you're right. I've been to Hell and back and I don't know what else can scare me."

"You will." Narcissa finished her cup of tea and laid it down on the tray. "Once you're a parent you'll understand fear. That's why I was willing to betray the Dark Lord: Fear. I was afraid of losing my son. So I saved you, too, in the process. But you were the means to an end, frankly. Once the Dark Lord planned my son's death, I'd do anything to protect him. I committed treason against the Dark Lord. Had he or my sister realized what I was doing, they'd have murdered me on the spot. Neither Lucius or Draco would have lifted a finger to protect me, not for the betrayal I chose to commit.

"I needed in the castle to get to Draco. The only way to do that was with your remains. I didn't care at all for the Dark Lord, only that my son was safe. Nothing else mattered to me: not you, not Lucius, nothing. Just Draco mattered."

"Your honesty is refreshing." Harry grimaced while nodding in comprehension. "I get that. For what it's worth, thank you."

Narcissa took his humble thanks.

They sat in silence. Harry finished his scone and Narcissa sipped her tea. Draco would be most frustrated with her, and complain to Lucius for her actions, but it was her choice, not theirs. She'd been a Malfoy for more than half her life and it was time to start changing that for the better, not embracing the distant and dismal past. Yes, she could change things for the better, via her charity for this poor boy. He might make a difference later on, no matter what the men in her life would think.

"I will sign what you require and leave the vault and property to you. My only request is that the family vault retains some value, for young Mr. Lupin's financial benefit. When he becomes of age, he should be comfortable financially to start his career."

Narcissa waved her hand and Bitsy returned. "Mr. Potter will be leaving shortly. When he's ready, please see him out."

"Yes, Mistress, Bitsy understands."

They watched the small elf collect the cups and tray before departing.

"I'll owl the goblins at Gringott's and send them notary of surety in regards to the Black family vault and the deed to Grimmauld Place. That should be in your personal vault by the end of the week. If the goblins try to be difficult, I will come to London to talk with them."

"I don't know what to say, Mrs. Malfoy, besides thank you."

"You're most welcome, Mr. Potter. But I should be thanking you, for saving my son." Narcissa led Harry to the doors of the study. "You gave me what I cherish most. I thought giving you what you need to rebuild our world is a small price to pay."

Narcissa opened the door. Bitsy was standing there waiting on them.

"Bitsy, one last thing."

"Yes, Mistress."

"If Mr. Potter calls again on personal business, please bring him into my study. There's no need for him to wait in the front foyer with the Malfoy portraits."

"You heard that?" Harry stood silently while contemplating the mistress of the estate.

"I did." Narcissa smiled. "It was as bad as Walburga's portrait at Grimmauld Place. I don't wish to be reminded of that bitter woman."


End file.
